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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25722544">The Raven's Redemption</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackEmpoleon12/pseuds/BlackEmpoleon12'>BlackEmpoleon12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Self-Discovery, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:13:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25722544</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackEmpoleon12/pseuds/BlackEmpoleon12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He lost his family, his brother, his friends, he lost the love which his clan treasure the most. he is the only one living in shinobi world. The light take him to another time, to finding himself, to find a salvation</p><p>He will write a new life to atone all of his sin in previous life</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Izumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first fanfiction, i'm so excited! this story will be focusing on Sasuke self-discovery and he will be a little bit OOC. i got inspire writing this after seeing some fan art where Sasuke kissing the stem of cherry blossom tree and reading Sasuke shinden. in first part, it will be more focusing on the family and friendship, but the romance will coming up later ;)</p><p>enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He lost his family, his brother, his friends, he lost the love which his clan treasure the most. he is the only one living in shinobi world. The light take him to another time, to finding himself, to find a salvation</p><p>He will write a new life to atone all of his sin in previous life</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My first fanfiction, i'm so excited! this story will be focusing on Sasuke self-discovery and he will be a little bit OOC. i got inspire writing this after seeing some fan art where Sasuke kissing the stem of cherry blossom tree and reading Sasuke shinden. in first part, it will be more focusing on the family and friendship, but the romance will coming up later ;)</p><p>enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is nothing worst than feeling alone while you are the only one who still breathing around the corpses of your precious ones. They defeated their worst enemy, Uchiha Madara, and the rabbit goddess, but it cost many sacrifices.</p><p>Just hour ago, He saw his sensei sacrifices himself from the strike that rabbit goddess aiming for him and giving all of his chakras to interrupting with his kamui before he falls. Then, team 7 were launched their last strike and successfully sealed Kaguya. When they thought the battle was over and start to mourn their instructor. They got ambushed by Black Zetsu, controlling Madara, unleashing the big explosion that caught them off guard.</p><p>Now he is laying around on the ground, suffering the blood loss from the explosion effect. He shifts his eyes and looks to his former teammates' side. They also lay on the ground and didn't feel any chakra from two of them.</p><p>They died and he is the only one who alive, alone.</p><p>The same ache comes to his heart, it's the same feeling when he comes home with a sight of his clan massacre but more worst</p><p>Why? He always thought team 7 was the one who prevents his objective to create the revolution in this world after this war end. He needs to cut the past, forgetting all the feeling when he sees team 7, like a family. </p><p>But why does he feel worse?</p><p>He is late to realize that they are the one who left for him, who really care for him, who willing to give everything for him to come home, who wills share the same pain with him. Now they died because he was so careless and didn't protect any of them. No loudmouth that coming from Konoha's knucklehead blonde-haired shinobi, no one could heal with her remarkable medical ninjutsu from the pink-haired kunoichi and no one who could give any life advice from silver-haired masked shinobi.</p><p>The guilt surrounds him, blaming himself that never feeling any empathy from the others and cut all ties because of this wicked fate. From not understanding what his brother been through, abandoning his village, choosing the malicious side, killing the innocent and tried to kill his teammate</p><p>His mismatch eyes staring blankly at the green sky of this dimension. He feels nothing, but sadness. It waters his onyx eye and slip down to his cheek.</p><p>He is alive, but can't move. He didn't know any medical ninjutsu to heal himself from this blood loss. He feels so tired, and his eyelid slowly shut his view.</p><p>He is ready to meet his death, to meet his brother, father, mother, his clan, and team 7. He just stares the sky as the oblivion tries taking his sight.</p><p>
  <em>I'm sorry...</em>
</p><p>The light shine through, blinding his half-lidded eyes, as a figure came to him</p><p>"No, we still have a chance."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Few moments later, the darkness falls as the ravenette closes his eyes, where exhaustion deep into his body and takes him to another space.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 001- Write a New Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He jolts upright on his bed, trembling and drench in sweat, with a headache coming to his and feel the pain around his eyes.</p><p>He blinks and realizes he is sitting on a fluffy bed with a green dinosaur plushie. This room is familiar for him. It is his childhood bedroom, the place he stays until the massacre.</p><p>
  <em>Is just a dream? But why I have this dream?</em>
</p><p>He hops down from his bed, practically run to a small cabinet and take the mirror. His eyes wide as he saw a mismatch onyx eye and six tomoe of amethyst color, rinnegan staring back at him. He is so small, so little, and not tainted with any sin for a figure of four-years-old.</p><p>His head filling with many questions. Is he got caught by Mugen Tsukoyomi? No, he was on another dimension. But Why he came back to the past? Why does he have rinnegan on his left eye?</p><p>He knows, if he is in genjutsu, rinnegan will detect it immediately. But, it's real. He tries to remember the last moment before he closed his eye, there was a figure standing next to him, but everything else is blurring. His mind rejecting the memories as he is deducing someone manipulates his memory before he got here, but who?</p><p>Then he taps his chakra reserve and sighs, it isn't as much as he wants, what he can't hope from his four-year-old body. He stares at his six paths of the purple eye, the exalted one of any other dojutsu that he awakened after received the sage of six path chakra. He can't let anybody know of this eye yet before he knows why he transfers to this body and this timeline.</p><p>He used amount of chakra to cover his rinnegan eye using genjutsu, making his eye turn into the same onyx orb like it's pair. So, when he activates his sharingan, it also copies his right eyes.</p><p>"Sasuke, are you awake?" He flinches when he hears that familiar voice. It's hard to believe he is alive in this timeline. The door open and showing a figure of nine-years-old Itachi Uchiha. He is giving him the same warm smile like he usually remembers, the soft gaze that made him feel guilty when he learned the truth of the massacre and his brother sacrifice for making him safe from the downfall.</p><p>"are you alright Otouto?" He come inside Sasuke room and kneeling in front of him with worried expression drawn on his face, like his little brother seeing a ghost in front of him</p><p>Sasuke hug Itachi tightly, forgetting all question gathering on his mind. The brother that he regrets to kill is in front of him, the same Itachi that he loves "I'm alright, nii-san"</p><p>
  <em>"Even if this world already fills with all the bad thing that you say. Why don't you change it for good? Without any blood shed"</em>
</p><p>His eyes wide as he listens to familiar voice suddenly clinging to his ear. Sasuke release himself, making Itachi tilt his head looking the little ravenette "are you saying something, nii-san?"</p><p>"No, Sasuke" Itachi shake his head, looking confuse. He pokes Sasuke forehead which makes his little brother surprise a little bit and giving him a smile that guarantee a warmth and comfort around him "let's go, breakfast is ready."</p><p>"Yes, Nii-san" he nods while following Itachi left his room towards the dining room.</p><p>Nothing inevitably change, it's still the same house that he lived. Except there are alive. No police line or trace a blood around.</p><p>When Itachi opens the door, Sasuke still dazes and doesn't believe in his view. His father, Fugaku, all ready to start the day with his Konoha Police uniform and reading the newspaper while his mother, Mikoto, putting the breakfast on the table from them. They are alive.</p><p>"Why are you dazing right there? Come here, Sasu-chan" said Mikoto giving him a smile that he missed nine years ago.</p><p>"Hn" he nods walking to sit in tatami across his father.</p><p>Here he is, sitting with his family in the dining room. With Fugaku and Itachi talking about the mission that Itachi had done and Mikoto prepares a bento for itachi up coming training. Sasuke glances to the warmth homemade miso soup that he though he never taste it again. He takes a sip and consume it. It's warming his body and his heart, the taste bringing a tenderness that gone for many years, with the tear comes spring down from his eyes.</p><p>"Sasuke?" Itachi asks, feeling worry when he sees the tears come from his little brother eyes, Fugaku try to keeping his stern face but the confusion crossing his mind seeing the little raven cry across him.</p><p>"What wrong, Sasuke?" Mikoto approaching Sasuke, patting his back and try to comfort him</p><p>"I-It's ok, everyone. I'm alright" he replies. It's really overwhelming feeling. Not just Itachi, but his father and mother is alive. He desperately want to put a curse if this is genjutsu that Kaguya cast. But this is real. He got the second chance to be sitting with his family and living this life again.</p><p>He doesn't realize that he accidently changes his eyes into sharingan because the powerful emotion of meeting his family, alive. It shocks everyone in the room looking bloody red eyes coming from their youngest family member.</p><p>Mikoto cups Sasuke face to looking his eyes closer, she gasps when she sees the three tomoes, which is the never been heard before. Usually, they awake with one or rare cases are two tomoes like her oldest son, but never - three. Her instinct tries to calm him by hugging him tightly and caressing his back, she doesn't know why his eyes awake in this age and the reason behind the enormous emotion that burst it. But she knows he need this hug "It's ok, Sasuke, everything is alright."</p><p>Fugaki and Itachi eyes open wide, worry is written on their faces as they realize three distinct markings on Sasuke's eyes.</p><p>His tears still flow from the bloody red eyes, and he hug back Mikoto and grab the back of her shirt.</p><p>The roller-coaster of the positive and negative causing him trembling. It solemnly make him stop breathing briefly. The love that he feels right now making him swear to himself with this chance, he will protect his family from the dark fate that try to crawl them. Try to uncorrupting this shinobi world and prevent the bad thing happen again. He just wants his family here, to be happy. He don't know how and why he comes back to this past, but he know, he will atone all of his sin by protecting this world so no one should be sacrifice again, including his clan and his brother</p><p>*****</p><p>After the emotional ride in the dining room, he tries to collect himself by sitting on the Engawa of his house, inhaling-exhaling several times, then leaning his head on both of his hands.</p><p>It careless of him for revealing his eyes in front of his family. Luckily, it didn't reveal his mangekyou nor rinnegan. He doesn't know should he says to them that he is from the thirteen years ahead? Showing to his father that the coup will put him and Itachi on the edge? But if he reveals himself, it may be put his family more danger since he knows the information from the future and people will try to take advantage of it</p><p>So, he needs to act like a four-years-old? No, his seventeen-years-old pride won't do it, but he needs to move undercover so people won't be suspicious of his move especially people with sharp intuition like Itachi. He chooses to stay low as possible but no for the innocent act.</p><p>What he needs to do right now is training himself, especially his chakra and stamina. It really exhausts himself when he put the genjutsu into his rinnegan eye. He also needs to learn a new jutsu for encounter any battle in the future.</p><p>Of course, preventing the massacre is his first priority in this time travel. He needs to protect his clan and Itachi...</p><p>So this is it, time to change before it's written in another history again.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>with his dojutsu, you got a clue about who sent Sasuke to the past right? but i put some twist with it ;)</p><p>i just really want to write the vulnerable Sasuke in this chapter. the miso scene it's like my own private experience after dealing with some mental issue.</p><p>you can follow me on wattpad with same name: BlackEmpoleon12</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 002 - Self Recognition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What he needs to right now is training his body and explore the amethyst dojutsu on his left eye. In this timeline, he doesn't need to go to the wicked snake sannin who obsessing with Uchiha body. Not anymore</p><p>He leaves the house quietly, bringing his weapons consist of kunai and shuriken that luckily he got from Nekobaa when Itachi running an errand to old woman with him. He makes a note to buy a poison when he visits Nekobaa next time for building an immunity to his body.</p><p>He may be irritated and angry with the council discrimination to the clan since the nine-tails incident, but he also grateful that Uchiha compound place nearby the training ground which he reaches not too long</p><p>He arrives to the ground that he and Itachi used to train. First, he start by running around the circle for warming up his body. The adrenalin kicks in and the wind rushing in his ear. Feeling good with this sensation and peaceful at the same time</p><p>Sadly, after several round. His body didn't react as he wants. His muscles are aching and struggle to catch a breath. He takes a break and laying on the grass, solemnly feeling the peace that he though was gone after the massacre.</p><p>After taking a water, he is forcing himself up and start with practicing throwing weapons at the target that set on the three trunks. He throws his shuriken, and it struck below the target. He frowns and unsatisfied with the result, the problem is his strength.</p><p>"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" A familiar voice calling him. He spun around and found Itachi come while bringing bento box wrapping in Uchiha crest cloth.</p><p>"I-I train myself, Nii-san" he replies.</p><p>"Why don't you train with me?" Sasuke mouth open hearing that words. It's really rare when Itachi offer him to train. Usually, it always the little ravenette forcefully asked him and many times end with declining.</p><p>"Really?" His eyes following Itachi as he put the bento box near the tree trunks he uses.</p><p>"Of course"</p><p>Itachi teach him to throw the weapon about an hour making Sasuke accuracy improve immesenly as he become more adapt to his current body. Considerably, his skill still short from his big brother. As expected from the prodigy, he throws it without a single flaw and accurate when he is hitting from various angles and distances.</p><p>He is the same Itachi that he proud of. The prodigy from the clan that reach the achievement younger than any other shinobi used to. Even his shuriken jutsu more flawless than their parents.</p><p>The sun shining bright and reaching the lunch hour, making them forget the time as the adrenaline still rushing and making them keeps on training. Then, Sasuke stomach starts to crumbles. It makes him embarrass especially in front of Itachi and his ears grading into red.</p><p>"Let's take a break, Sasuke" he is smirking as he hears that noise comes from his brother.</p><p>they take a break by eating the onigiri that Itachi bring at underneath the shady tree. Itachi turn to Sasuke as he watches his little brother enjoying eating okaka onigiri that made by their mother.</p><p>The curiosity comes to his head, in one night, it suddenly different. It starts from when he saw his brother awaken three-tomoe sharingan this morning and he train hard than before, usually he starts to whine when he reaches his limit. Is there any problem that happen to his brother especially in this peaceful period? He knows sharingan will active when an overwhelming emotion come to his heart, but nothing happen yesterday. He hopes his deduction is true, that his sharingan awake because of love, not separation or death like he is.</p><p>"Why do you train so hard?" Asks Itachi curiously</p><p>"I..." he glances down and tries to think a good reason because Itachi have a sharp instinct. Hopefully, it doesn't make him suspicious.</p><p>"I really want to protect you, oka-san, otou-san, our clan..." he takes a sigh and continues "And the village" Even Itachi alive this timeline, doesn't mean the little ravenette forget his purpose and still continue his brother legacy. He knows how much Itachi love this village and willing to sacrifice his clan for protecting it.</p><p>Itachi don't detect any lie behind his brother answer. The answer like it comes from his heart. He glads that his precious little brother start to grow. But, it also bitters things when he close enough to enter shinobi life as he doesn't want to his brother experiencing the war like he is. In the end of the day, he will continue to support and love him no matter what he does.</p><p>He glances down and starts to talk about his conversation with Uchiha patriach a while ago "You know Sasuke. While ago before going training, I talk with Otou-san... you can enter the academy sooner than you expected... I mean, you already awaken Sharingan younger than Izumi record and it's three tomoe. If you want, he will recommend it to Hokage."</p><p>The statement makes him surprise but also make him not content with father recognition "No, Nii-san... I don't want to enter the academy sooner... I mean, it's good and graduates early like you. But, I'm not you, Nii-san."</p><p>Maybe with his sharingan awaken right now, his father start to acknowledge his skill and expect him to be the next prodigy like Itachi. If he stills the same Sasuke, he will be pleasant. But, he is not the same, it's just his thirteen years ahead eyes weirdly transfer to his current body. Not a pure talent like his older brother</p><p>"I really want to feel the process and adapting every situation especially after this eyes awake."</p><p>And also, he didn't trust the others to work with him, like team 7...</p><p>"And I want to work with the people that I trust"</p><p>The knucklehead losers, the annoying fangirl, and pervert instructor - He wonders, in this timeline, will they act the same as they used to? It will another six years to be in the same team and they are the one who defeated Kaguya with him.</p><p>"I see... Well, tonight Otou-san will tell you about it, and I'm glad. You have your own principle" Itachi patting his brother head, feeling proud with his brother answer. He swears, to protect his future and not let him lost to darkness.</p><p>"After we finish the lunch, let's continue our lesson to taijutsu" Itachi taking a bite of onigiri.</p><p>"Aa" Sasuke nod</p><p>*****</p><p>After the dinner, Mikoto is giving his husband a cup of green tea and put in on the low table. She sits beside him and facing his younger son sitting across them while his oldest son right now is taking a training in Shi No Mori with Shisui.</p><p>Fugaku take a sip of the warm green tea. It's soothing and collects him, then he broach "So, after we saw your sharingan and realize the number of tomoe that you have. We really consider you to enter the academy for getting early education. If you want it, tomorrow, we go to the Hokage office and I will recommend you"</p><p>Sasuke take a sigh and answer "No, Otou-san. I'm not ready to enter the academy. It's too sudden for me."</p><p>"Why, Sasu-chan?" Asks Mikoto</p><p>"I really want to feel the process every step of my life and don't want to rush it" he takes a pause, remembering his actual reason. How he doesn't want to work with other people, except them, it's like the bonds that happen between them.</p><p>At first, he didn't like it because it made lose focus with his revenge. But now it's a different timeline and he doesn't want to feel that feeling again. When he was too late to realized how important they are after they died in front of him "and I remember, after we graduate, we will work in the in three-man team, right? And I want to work with someone I can trust, who has the same principal and same vision with me... But at the same time, I want to keep continue practice and I need you support to teach me any jutsu"</p><p>Sasuke is staring his father intently to prove his serious with his answer. Fugaku takes his son words, and Sasuke swear that he sees a trace of smile draw to his face "Okay, I'm understand. And for your training, I will make up a time for you"</p><p>"Hai, arigatou Otou-san" Sasuke stand up and stepping toward to the door.</p><p>"And son..." Fugaku call him, making him stop to turn the door knob.</p><p>"Don't over train yourself" hearing that come from his father mouth make him realize that he is actually care about him and feeling good as his father sees him as himself, not Itachi shadow. Sometimes he wishes he really believes his mother words in previous life, about how proud his father is to the little raven.</p><p>"Hai, Otou-san" he put a small smile upon his face as he is leaving the room.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 003 - Cold Daybreak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>He just standing, seeing his another father figure died from protecting him while two other kneeling beside the silver-haired masked ninja. The pink-haired medic hovers on her hand, unseal her byakugou to fix the wound that gaping his lungs and artery. It heals perfectly but it was too late.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sasuke see the despair comes from the pink-haired woman who keeps sobbing to their instructor chest and the blonde-haired whiskered man keep glancing down, crying silently.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Kakashi shouldn't save him, and he shouldn't. Because of him, he died. He maybe a pervert instructor that having issues with tardiness. But he is the one who guiding him and giving him advice when he was still in Konoha. He was the one who reassured him when he got scared in the first encounter against Zabusa, he was the one who helped him dealing with the curse seal after chunin preliminary, he was the one who taught him the jutsu that become his signature, and he was also the one who understands him because he been through the same misfortune like him.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The ravenette start to open his mouth and let the words come out bluntly "idiot" the attention turning into him, their eyes widen as they shock hearing such a word coming from Sasuke mouth to the lifeless body, he continues "This is what happen, if you try to protect me."</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Naruto eyes narrowing Sasuke angrily. The next second they know, Sasuke got throw and knock to the ground. Sakura gasps and trying to make sense of what just happen between them. The Azure blue eyes glaring to the mismatch eyes looking up to him "You bastard!"</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Don't talk like that! You disrespecting Kakashi-sensei, dattebayo!" Naruto continues to yells and grabbing his collar, making him raise from the ground</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I'm not, he died because he protected me!" Sasuke yells, swinging off his hand to Naruto hands that still grabbing his collar and release himself from the grip</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Then stop blaming yourself!" Naruto shouting loud angrily. Sasuke could see tears building in the corner of his eyes.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Blaming what? Why do you keep saying things like you understand me?!"</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Naruto take a sigh and answer it seriously "Because we are friends and I can't let you standing there alone. I will keep beating you until I smacks some sense to you!"</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"What exactly it mean to you? Why you can just leave me alone?!"</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I don't really have an answer! But when we saw Kakashi laying there, I see you start blaming yourself and carrying the burden" he takes a pause and looking to his mismatch eyes "Somehow I just hurt and can't leaving you alone" Naruto states his words firmly.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The last thing he sees is the blonde haired suddenly blocking him, then the light start blinding his eyes. The temperature becomes hotter than the fire that he creates, it's burning his skin, it really hurt his skin, he starts to scream in anguish. The pain bringing him collapse to the oblivion</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The heat that he feels becomes unstable, at first he feel really uncomfortably hot then cold. Is that light the attack from Kaguya? He knows they already seal it in front of him, but why it happens? Did black zetsu launch the attack?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>If this is an afterlife, maybe, he will find his family again in this world. But it's really dark and he is all alone. Is this the result of what he have been done for entire life? Just a nothingness. Maybe he deserves it after he kills his brother without understanding him for a one second.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No!" A warmth suddenly come to comforting his body, he see a green glow illuminating the darkness</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Please wake up, please" whispers someone quietly as he feels some weight on top of his chest.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He comes back to the reality and opens his heavy eyes from the slumber, seeing a blurry pink in his chest. He blinks again and the sight become more clear as he sees a badly injured pink-haired Kunoichi leaning on his chest, back of her clothes got burned and he can see the scorch on her barely skin. She still is giving a green glow chakra that not healing his body, but also warming him. He doesn't see any glimpse of an orange anywhere - where did he go?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Sakura eyes feel relieve as she finds Sasuke open his eyes, but at the same time also feel the weight of responsibility for telling the worst news that she will deliver. She keeps letting out the tears that springing on her jade orbs and stutters "I-I'm sorry... I couldn't sa-save him"</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He just hearingly froze those words coming from her. He doesn't believe it. He just have an argument with him minutes ago. He should glad that nothing that blocking him creating a revolution by killing the Kage and merging Five Great Nation. But why does he feel some pain accelerating in his chest? He knows the bonds from the past will be his obstacle, but why his eyes watering with tears?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"He protects us from that explosion and..." she takes a pause for collecting himself, but the grief caught her as she sees her instructor and best friend died "I-I couldn't do anything to heal him..." Sakura coughing and spilling out some blood, making Sasuke mismatch eyes open wide</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>No</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"But I'm glad this useless and annoying girl can save you" He realizes the purple diamond seal in her head are gone and she is using her last chakra just for save him.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>No</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"I know you will save everyone and come home" his heart start to break after hearing that sentence coming out from that kunoichi.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>No</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"you are our last hope, Sasuke-kun" her eyelids feeling heavy and she struggles to keep them open with her vision start to blurring.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"No" he finally is letting out the word that stuck on his throat. He tries to stop her from healing him, but he can't move his hands and don't have any energy.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sasuke-kun, I love you" says Sakura softly with a peaceful smile across her face as she takes her last breath with the green glow stopping warming his body.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>For him, she is the only girl who unexpectedly fills the void that lingering within for several years before he left the village. She is the one who gives him a genuine affection that he thought he lost it from the downfall. Sometimes seeing her make him regret that she is the path he secretly wished he decided on that night at the bench. The compunction is really deep, it made him to get of rid her few times because he wouldn't admit she was right. But now, she is gone which make the ominous crack in his heart more spreads.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He doesn't see just the Kunoichi body, but also lifeless figure of blond laying on the ground that not too far from them. He is the only person who he admits as his close friend to the Sage. Everything he said before the explosion is also what he feel towards him, as they are friend and brother who share the same pain. Sometimes seeing him always move forward, it reminds him as the shadow of Itachi - it make him envious and feel left out. Same like his brother, he sacrifices himself to save him.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The ravenette doesn't move, still watching them with shock. He feels a horrible ache in his chest. As he is too late to realize he cares about them, about team 7. They are the 'family', the bonds that they created to trust, connect, and understand each other.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Naruto... Sakura..." then it got him flashback to the same moment when he found his parents laying in the puddle of blood and his brother last moment before he falls into a deathbed in front of his own eyes. It's unbearable that he feels it twice.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>I lost them.</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>When the energy comes to him by little, he takes a look both of his hand, it taint with blood. His body start to tremble and sweat covering his body. Something just press his lungs and stopping him from inhaling. The memory of the death one swirling and creating a vortex to his head. He can't escape from the sin that he created. It his fault, if he didn't carelessly enough to them, they wouldn't die. If he doesn't let the darkness plunge into him, they wouldn't die.</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>It's my fault</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>my fault</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"..suke!"</b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>my fault</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b>"Sasuke!"</b>
</p><p>*****</p><p>"Sasuke!"</p><p>The little raven opens his eyes with a cold sweat dropping down on his body. Panting hard after seeing the nightmare that lurking to his mind. A dream about how low he is back then, treating his instructor and friends. Because of him being such an asshole, they were died</p><p>The little boy thinking how guilty he is towards the death of his teammates, how Naruto died from that blast and Sakura giving her last breath in front of him. He regrets to the time when he despises all people in the village, while he actually the one should be got despise of because he tried to destroy the village and severe the bond by killing two of them. In the end of their life, he didn't do anything to protect them. He is the heartless monster who failed to not just the people he was care, but also the village that Itachi love and willing to give anything for protecting it.</p><p>He breaths slowly and shifting his onyx eyes and found his older brother, staring at him with a worry drawn to his face</p><p>"What's wrong?" Asks Itachi with confusion swirling in his eyes</p><p>"Nothing, Nii-san" he covers up the dream - no, his past, one secret that he will keep on until the grave</p><p>Itachi becomes more concern about his brother, specifically after Sasuke awakens his 'eyes'. He been training intensely with him or alone or with their father when he had a mission. Is his little brother nightmare one of the reasons his eyes awake? Or he just overtrains himself?</p><p>For him, Sasuke still four years old. He doesn't need forcing himself to be mature or rushing his pace to shinobi world. It's a peace period and war already ends. What he needs is to enjoy every little step of this childhood before going to the dream that he pursues</p><p>He pokes his little brother forehead, and giving him a soft smile "Let's take a break for today, I think we need to relax ourselves."</p><p>Sasuke blinks and mutters "But nii-san..."</p><p>"No, rest also part of the training. If a shinobi rushing himself to the mission without concerning his body, he will lose" he tries to convince him giving him a example knowing how persistent his little brother is</p><p>At first, he starts to open his mouth to raise a protest, but it takes a Nara clan brain for changing Itachi opinion if he becomes this protective. He gives up and agrees by letting out a his monosylable grunt "Aa"</p><p>It's been a clear but cold weather for Konoha and a whole month after his arrival in this timeline. Less than four years until the massacre, and he still need to developing his strength, stamina, and his chakra reserve. He may be overly preparing and really anxious towards the future, but he can't predict what will happen after he is changing some minor or major event, he must prepare for better or worst than the previous timeline.</p><p>He admits it he likes this timeline over previous one. He is bonding more with his family. His father starts seeing him as himself not the shadow of his brother and not comparing those two. He really appreciates the genuine and the warmth come from his mother, the thing that he'd been missed. Now, he understand how Itachi really care about him and supporting him.</p><p>As both of Uchiha brother getting out from their house for taking a break from the training, a curly raven locks calling for them cheerfully "Itachi! Sasu-chan!"</p><p>"Shisui" replies Itachi as Shisui approaches them.</p><p>Shisui glance down to the small figure and ruffling his hair "long time no see, Sasu-chan"</p><p>"Hn" he grunts. Sometimes, he is feeling annoyed if someone except his mother calling him with that embarrassing suffix.</p><p>Sasuke remember Shisui as his brother best friend and spending time with him when they collected cat paw print. He is like the opposite of Uchiha man usually be. Having those curly hair, easy going, and really cheerful. Who would think from that attitude he has the most powerful genjutsu from entire Uchiha family and it made Danzo to steal his eye.</p><p>Of course for Sasuke, protecting Shisui will be one of his mission since his eyes giving Danzo the power to manipulate other people. He also will be a great asset for facing future obstacles</p><p>Shisui is looking to the both of his cousin curiously "Are you guys going to the training ground?"</p><p>"No, we take a break for today" answers Itachi while shooking his head.</p><p>"I see! I have a day off too. Why don't we go to eat ramen in the main street of the village? I heard it was really good and fits to this weather. You rarely go out from the compound and training ground right, Sasu-chan?"</p><p>Sasuke is thinking and hopefully Shisui want to bring them to that place. The favorite place of that knucklehead and it locate around the civilian area where that pinkette live. Maybe he will found two of them by coincidence and maybe - maybe he take the first step to connect with them.</p><p>"But, Sasuke..." Itachi feeling hesitate and turn to his brother.</p><p>Sasuke know how selfless Itachi is towards him who he doesn't need to. He shrugging his shoulder and try to answer enthusiasts as possible "It's alright nii-san, I'm also curious. Let's go there"</p><p>"Alright then, I guess we are following you Shisui"</p><p>"Ok, let's go" Shisui giving them a wide smile</p><p>The cool gentle breeze rustles with the brown leafs dancing and leaving from the trunk, making the land decorate colorfully as their approaching cold winter in an upcoming month. The breeze making the little raven feeling comfort in family specifically walking with his brother and his friend</p><p>"So, I hear that you just wake up you Sharingan, right?" Ask Shisui while they are walking on the edge of the street</p><p>"Aa" Sasuke looking up to Shisui side</p><p>"I see, you already grew up now. I remember Itachi always hold you in sling carrier when you still a baby" smirks Shisui while ruffling Sasuke hair.</p><p>"Stop it!" Hisses Sasuke, both of his hands gripping Shisui hand for stops making his hair messier</p><p>The environment become more familiar and bringing Sasuke nostalgic feeling from the time when he still lives in the village after team 7 finished the mission. The blond-haired whiskered shinobi always bring them to this area after they report on the Hokage Tower.</p><p>"Ah, there it is, Ichiraku Ramen!" Shisui pointing to the stall with 'Ramen Ichiraku' sign on the white noren.</p><p>It's the same ramen stall as he remembers, with the same person who serves them the ramen, Teuchi - If he tries to recall his name "Oh, welcome"</p><p>Shisui is taking a seat while ordering "Oji-san, Miso charsiu ramen for me! What about you guys?"</p><p>Itachi is sitting on Shisui right side with Sasuke next to his brother "I pick the same, Sasuke?"</p><p>Sasuke looks to his brother "Same with me"</p><p>"Ok, three Miso Charsiu coming right up!" Teuchi start boiling the ramen while preparing the other ingredient. When he is putting the three bowls on the cooking counter, he turn his head to the noren side</p><p>"Ah, it's you. Come here" Teuchi waving in to the small figure that peeking the ramen stall. Sasuke start turns his head to the Teuchi direction.</p><p>"Wait!" Shout Teuchi as Sasuke caught a glimpse of a small figure with a blond-haired that fled after he turns around. Without a doubt, he knows it is him.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh Jashin,</p><p>I forgot to say thank to all of you who give me the Kudos and bookmark my fiction.<br/>i'm so happy right to see the number went up day by day<br/>(crying like Lee and hugging to Guy-Sensei)</p><p>you can follow me on wattpad with the same name: BlackEmpoleon12</p><p>Thank You So Much ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 004 - Rivalry Friendship</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just like his speculated, he finds him around the stall. Even thought he just catches a glance of small blond-haired. He just glads that person didn't eat with him. The ramen is good, everytime that person invited him and Sakura, he always devoured like a pig in his last supper when it comes to ramen and it making him sick.</p><p>But if he meets him - not just him, Sakura, or Kakashi. What should he do? Starting up some conversation never been his forte. He just put his elbows on the table with his hands claps under his chin, try to stop overthinking about his awkward social skill. The little raven turn his head to his big brother as Itachi start the exchange some words to Teuchi.<br/><br/>"What's wrong, Oji-san?" Itachi curiously asks after hearing the ramen owner shouts.<br/><br/>Teuchi notices his voice caught one of the Uchiha attentions and apologizing "Ah, sorry for the shout, I always caught him wondering alone in this area. I'm just curious about him."<br/><br/>After that, Teuchi place the three bowls of miso charsiu ramen on the counter and they eat in the comfortable silence with the taste of broth really warming the body and soul to each person who eats it. It put a small asymmetrical smile to the little raven, remembering he always ate the ramen in rowdy circumstance and didn't have time to feel the taste because of it.<br/><br/>Few minutes later, Shisui break the silence after sipping the last drop of miso broth "Thanks for the food, it's really good, Oji-san!" He is beaming smile to Teuchi while folding up his hands<br/><br/>"Thank you, kid, I'm glad you like it" Teuchi flatters hearing the compliment comes from the curly Uchiha mouth.<br/><br/>"Thank you for the food," says Itachi dan Sasuke at the same time after putting the chopstick on the bowl and fold their palms up. Itachi is looking to his brother start to feels relax after intensive training he was through for a whole month. Maybe a day off without training and spending time with his brother is not a bad idea after all and he should open up a time for feeling this harmonious intermission after all of those sorrow that he went by.<br/><br/><br/>With the time flows, they continue the day by visiting weapon shop for buying shuriken and kunai for Itachi next mission, while Sasuke buys the poison for increasing his immunity and string for his shuriken supporting tool as they don't have a time for visiting Nekobaa at Sora-ku. Shisui then drag them to the bookstore and showing to the brother with excitement the book that created by one of the sannin. Luckily for little Sasuke, it's not the orange book that team seven instructor usually read, it's adventure book about a heroic shinobi, the last thing he needs is his brother or cousin out from the store innocently purchase the orange book. Their next destination is dango shop, as they accompany Itachi to buy his favorite three-colored dango from the shop for his afternoon snack.<br/><br/>Even though Shisui involve in this intermission, Sasuke is not bothered at all. Matter in fact, he enjoys Shisui company to balancing him and Itachi nature when he doesn't want to put himself embarrass if he must act like a four-years-old all day long especially in front Itachi perspective.<br/><br/>But in the end of the day, he never finds any trace of the blond-haired whiskered boy again or pink-haired girl. Finding the silver-haired masked shinobi will be hard for this time around because his actively duty on ANBU. Sometime he wishes that one of them also travels to the past with him and remembers. Because he unsure to change the history all alone with his current ability. It just a wishful thinking, he knows, he is the only one who travel back<br/><br/>Having a day off is great. But, he can't be nonchalant in every circumstance because the clock won't stop ticking and flows unconsciously. Luckily, tomorrow Itachi have a mission, Sasuke making his note about training groove in his mind since that tomorrow nobody keeping eye on him during training.</p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I'm sorry everyone, I should open up to him and telling everything about it," says someone with familiar baritone voice to his ear</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"But deep down, you trust him to conquer the darkness lurking around, right?" Replies some man with ensuring note in his voice</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>"Yes"</em>
</p><p><br/><br/>Sasuke open wide his eyes try to see the source of the voices, but the sight of his eyes showing a white ceiling that got a trace of sun as morning comes to brightening the autumn with the birds join them to chirping around Uchiha compound.<br/><br/>It's been a month since he hears some voice from an unknown source and it makes him rubbing his head as he starts to lose in confusion. It's not part of his past, so it's genjutsu? No, his eyes could recognize it. He is sure that he's not on a drug nor poison, but the voice come so sudden in his mind. Is the voice connecting with this time travel? And the voice it reminds him something he been missed<br/><br/>As he comes back from the train of thought before it puzzling his mind, He checks out the clock with the time showing it almost breakfast time and he must go to the dining room before Itachi aware to see him again in this situation and forbidding him to have a training session when he got the day off later.<br/><br/><br/>After having a breakfast together with his family, Sasuke is heading over the training ground, equip with kunai, shuriken, and transparent wire strings in his holster. The training for a whole month has been fruitful as the amount of his stamina increase even but still not in the level that make him satisfied yet. Of course, he still needs to improve his chakra reserves and exploring more jutsu.<br/><br/>He understand as a sharingan user, he can copy any jutsu by just activating his eyes. But he still needs a teacher for managing the physical and spiritual energy to release the jutsu he will learn in the future. He glads this time his father agreed to have a training session with him earlier than the previous timeline where he only learns one jutsu from him.<br/><br/>As he finishes warming up his body, he starts the training by throwing the kunai from different direction. His aim becomes more accurate thanks to Itachi training that focusing on basic strength building and his body start to remember the right stance while adapting his little physique. Then he changes the course from kunai into shuriken. He tries sharping soshuriken no jutsu, a basic technique for manipulating shuriken with the strings attach to it without using his sharingan first. He throws the string-attached shuriken passing the target that put behind the tree trunk then swinging back the string with his hand aiming the target. The ravenette hears the sound of shuriken knocks the target board, he walks to trunk to collect and see if the hit is spot on. Sasuke sees the shuriken hit in the corner far from the small round target.<br/><br/>Not satisfied with the result, he activates the three-tomoe sharingan eyes. He repeats it by throwing the shuriken again with his eyes focusing with the shuriken, string, and his hand movement while feel the wind that can change the direction. His eyes predict that the shuriken hitting bullseye. After that, he keeps practicing soshuriken no jutsu from different positions while his sharingan eyes still active.<br/><br/><br/>Sasuke is panting after using a lot of chakra because of his sharingan as the eyes swirling back to the deep onyx eyes, he really disappoints with himself and must train to control the usage of his chakra. He takes a sip of water and feels his stomach grumbling as sign to have a lunch. The little raven maybe got the onigiri from his mother, but he still need a lot energy to continue the training. He decides to catch the fishes ar the river that not to far from where he stands. The ravenette look for a long wood around the training ground which becomes the pole of the fishing rod and uses the string of shuriken as a fishing line. When he finds the right wood, he assembles the wood meticulously using his kunai and strings. After he ties string to make sure the line is good enough, that wouldn't snap if the fish catch the bait, he finishes the temporary fishing rod. With a sound that keeps come from his stomach, he walks to the river.<br/><br/>When he arrives at the river, he sees a spiky blond-haired around his age with his back facing him. The figure is really familiar for him as he takes a peek to the boy left side. His onyx opens wide in surprise as he notices the whiskers on the cheek and the azure blue eyes that looking straight to his fishing rod.<br/><br/>The ravenette just stun in the same place for a minute and confuse - why he is here? Does he need to approach him? He maybe has Sharingan and Rinnegan in his eyes. But he knows how bad he is to socialize with another, even the one of powerful dojutsu that can read any movement can't help him.<br/><br/>Sasuke feel the hunger coming to him, consciously tries to forget the awkward encounter - for him as he steps forward to the edge of the river, he is throwing the fishing pole next to him in silence while his eyes staring straight to where the bait recedes. The blond-haired whiskered boy realizes some anonymous kid brave enough to stand beside him as it makes him wondering, why there is a boy who dare enough to standing beside him. Is he one of the bullies like the orphanage? The though in his head making him scare a little bit to the little raven.<br/><br/>"Look, your rod caught it" says Sasuke calmly while his eyes staring straight to the river, the blonde-haired whiskered kid spun and notice his twitching rod and it got pull to the river. He catches the fishing pole right on time before it slip to the river, but one twitch from string making him unbalance as he falls forward with his upper body catches the water while screaming. The fish that caught by the blondie got away<br/><br/>"Hm, Dobe" he smirks smugly while keeping his sight on the fishing pole, patiently waiting the fish to take the bait<br/><br/>His raise himself immediately with the emotion got trigger in instant as a random stranger is mocking him and shout "Who are you? Stop mocking me!"<br/><br/>"If you ask someone name, you introduce yourself first" sasuke state with his monotonous voice.<br/><br/>"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, The next future hokage, dattebayo!" He is pointing his index finger towards the ravenette furiously and exclaim "Just stop taunting me, teme!"<br/><br/>"I have a name and it's Uchiha Sasuke. Just focus without losing it, dobe" he answers bluntly.<br/><br/>"Damn you!" Naruto is clenching his fist, giving azure blue glares and declares "I challenge you to catch the fishes! Who catch the most in one hour. He will be the winner!"<br/><br/>His sighs as things will never change even in this timeline. He still the same persistent idiot who got his nerves and sometimes it got backfire the blond-haired shinobi in the future.<br/><br/>"We will see" he says it dryly, but part of his competitive nature accept the challenge.<br/><br/>He flings himself to fishing, within few minute later, he catches one fish. For a moment, Naruto is gritting his teeth and swear to beat him at all cost when he saw it.<br/><br/>As one hour almost past, their score still tie with two fishes and making him forgot his hunger earlier. In a brief moment, Naruto bait catches a fish and putting a champion grin "looks like I win!"<br/><br/>Sasuke's stubborn pride refuse him to lose when he sees Naruto pulling the fish out from the river, suddenly he is taking out the kunai from the pouch and throwing it towards the fish. The kunai catches the fish and make it embed on the tree across the river, securing his win.<br/><br/>"You cheater!" Naruto complain while pointing to the fish that got stuck in the tree<br/><br/>"Hn, You didn't say any rules than catch it" answers Sasuke showing his signature smirk<br/><br/>"Next time when I saw you, I will kick you out with my ninjutsu and will make you surrender, datteba-" Naruto stomach growls interrupt his word and making him embarrasses when the noise got heard to this random-bastard kid name Sasuke. The blonde-haired whiskered boy holds his stomach and frown to the ravenette<br/><br/>Sasuke takes the bamboo leaf wrapped that fill with three onigiri from his belongings and unwrap it. Naruto confuse with his act and sees the onigiri, even it is not his favorite food, but it looks delicious with his starving eyes<br/><br/>"I'm looking forward if you can, usuratonkachi" he shoots back while his hand move forward, giving him one of the three riceballs from the bamboo leaf wrap and looking him with a smug expression.<br/><br/>Naruto surprise with sasuke act, he looks him closely as he is aware if this is a trap. He is taking the riceball from Sasuke hand without any suspicious act from the little raven as he notices someone take this word seriously and maybe the first one who giving him a little help. Naruto beaming him a smile as he thankful someone kind enough to share his food with him "thanks"</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you guys for the support from the comment and kudos.<br/>i wanna cry like guy-sensei really bad because all the support and really appreciate it</p><p>i'll see you soon in the next chapter ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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